On June 13, 1971 – at a concert in Hollywood to
raise money for the Motion Picture and TV Relief Fund – at the age of 55, Frank
Sinatra announced that he was retiring, bringing to an end his 36-year career
in show business. This concert was held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and
the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angles. I had no idea when I left San Clemente that
I would be supporting this event all that I knew was that Vice President was
coming to Los Angles. I was sent there to support Vice President Agnew, his
staff and the United States Secret Service, who would be attending a concert at
the Ahmanson Theater.

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Ahmanson Theater

Ahmanson Theater

Since this was a low Key event and no speech was
scheduled for the Vice President there was very little publicity and only a few
reporters covering the event, those that did were primarily from the
entertainment community. After meeting
with the Staff and Secret Service advance people, and were briefed with the
details of the VP’s itinerary this is when we found out that it would be Frank
Sinatra’s retirement concert. After this briefing we proceeded to start our
radio survey of the motorcade route from LAX at the arrival location to the
Beverly Hilton and on to the Ahmonson Theater / Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
complex. When the survey was complete and the base station locations were
selected we ordered the remote keying lines from the Tel co. We installed a
remote “Charlie” base station at LAX to cover the Vice President’s arrival and
set up a remote “Charlie” base station back stage at the Ahmanson Theater to
cover the concert, then connected both sites to the USSS CP at the Beverly
Hilton Hotel. We then checked radio coverage inside and outside of the theater
complex, the Hotel, LAX and the entire motorcade route to insure radio coverage
in all areas that the Vice President would visit on this trip.

Although we would have to work that night, dress
rehearsal took place that afternoon and we were able to sit in front row seats
and watch them. Dean Martin and the Gold-diggers, Bob Hope, Jack Benny,
Don Rickles, Mitzi Gaynor, Barbra Streisand, Nancy Sinatra, Joe Namath, and
Bobby Sherman. I was lucky to have saved the Program which helped me remember everyone
who performed at this concert because there were so many. Although I do not
remember Frank at the dress rehearsal, I was able to see his entire performance
that evening!

The
Program began with Princess Grace of Monaco (the former Grace Kelly) giving the
opening remarks followed by the concert. Frank Sinatra
was introduced by Rosalind Russell and began his performance by singing “All
Or Nothing at All”,
followed by “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, I’ll Never Smile Again, a moving
rendition of Ol’ Man River, That’s Life, Try A
Little Tenderness, Fly Me To The Moon , Nancy , My Way, The Lady Is A
Tramp and concluding his performance with Angel Eye. His performance was
fabulous by far the best of the evening.

The great thing about the concert was that all of the
best known entertainers of the time were on the program, not to mention
celebrities like Robert Wagner, Lucile Ball, David Jansen and Don Knotts that
would be in the audience.

Frank Sinatra’s retirement in 1971

After the show we tore down the remote and returned to the Beverly Hilton
Hotel. Vice President Agnew departed the next morning and returned to
Washington DC. We then tore down the equipment at LAX, packed up the CP and gathered
up all of our equipment, then returned to San Clemente. It was a great show,
although Frank Sinatra made his comeback a little more than a year later! It
was a great evening of entertainment, one that I will never forget.

Program
for the 50th Anniversary of the Motion Picture and Television Relief
Fund

About Me

Information about the White House Communications Agency and my experiences from 1965 to 1973. Including the Presidential Emergency Microwave Facilities built in the 1960's. Experiences at Camp David, Cannonball Tower(1965-1970). Accounts of several overseas support trips including the Presidents trip to China, a look at President Nixon's Western White House in San Clemente CA, and The Flordia White House in Key Biscayne FL.